Ferdinand Berthoud levels the swan track of its spectacular calibre FB-T.FC. that made its debut in 2015 on board the FB1. Impressed by Ferdinand Berthoud’s historic marine chronometers, the fascinating tourbillon motion with fusée-and-chain transmission took dwelling the highest prize on the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2016 and has secured the model a agency footing within the Haute Horlogerie enviornment. Respecting the unique dial configuration of the FB 1 and powered by the identical motion, the ultimate act of the Chronmère FB, composed of 38 customisable items, exchanges its octagonal hull for a spherical case.
Enlightened Instances
Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807) emigrated from Switzerland to Paris in 1745 on the age of 18. It was an impressed location for a younger man of such distinctive expertise. The cradle of the Age of Enlightenment, Paris was a hotbed of mental and scientific inquiry. The French Academy of Sciences (Académie des Sciences 1666), based to encourage and defend French scientific analysis, was on the forefront of scientific developments in Europe within the 17-18th centuries. A prolific author, authentic thinker and avid experimenter, Ferdinand Berthoud was a frequent customer of the Academy, submitting patents for his innovations and contributing a lot of horological articles to the Encylopédie, probably the most influential publication of the Enlightenment compiled by Diderot and a crew of 150 scientists and philosophers.
Longitude and chronometric accuracy have been additionally prime candidates for Berthoud’s inquiring thoughts. Though the kudos went to John Harrison for his marine chronometer H4, Berthoud labored tirelessly to enhance the precision and efficiency of longitude clocks. (Reportedly, Louis XV requested Berthoud to pop over to England and look at Harrison’s H4 Marine Timekeeper however was flatly refused by the English watchmaker.) Berthoud produced his first marine clock in 1761, duly introduced to the Academy. His montres marines no. 6 and eight enabled the measurement of longitude to lower than half a level and handed their seafaring check with flying colors. Berthoud’s Marine Clock No. 8, which accompanied the Depend of Fleurieu on his 18-month voyage from Rochefort to Santo Domingo and again, had a regulator-type show with separate indications for the minutes, hours and seconds pushed by a vertical motion and controlled by a thermo-compensated steadiness spring. The King was impressed, and in 1770, he was appointed ‘Horologist Mechanic to the King and to the Navy’ and acquired a fee for 20 longitude clocks for the French admiralty.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, co-president of Chopard, fulfilled considered one of his goals following his acquisition of the identify Ferdinand Berthoud in 2006. A devotee of Berthoud’s works, Scheufele had additionally bought the montre marine no. 6 (1777), now on show within the Chopard L.U.CEUM museum. In contrast to a couple of modern manufacturers that alight upon a historic identify to prop up merchandise that don’t have anything to do with the identify, Scheufele was decided to perpetuate the legacy of Berthoud’s previous glories, respecting the unique spirit, ingenuity and craftsmanship a full 208 years after his demise – with a recent twist. A distinct segment model focusing on collectors, Scheufele’s first look ahead to the fledgling model in 2015 was the Chronomètre FB 1, powered by a chronometer-certified manufacture motion with a tourbillon and fusée-and-chain transmission primarily based on an old-school pillar building. Offering the bottom motion for different fashions, the FB-T.FC motion consolidated the identification of the model.
The primary…
The Chronomètre FB1 (which you’ll see within the photographs above) was conceived to pay homage to the mechanical prowess and precision of Berthoud’s marine chronometers. Impressed by the structure of Ferdinand Berthoud’s marine chronometers, particularly, their gimbal suspension permitting onboard chronometers to keep up a horizontal place, the big 44mm case was octagonal. Just like the watertight portholes discovered on ships, 4 sapphire home windows on the caseband launched mild and provided an interesting view of the motion. Because the motion is similar, we are going to cowl its specs with the most recent and final fashions of the FB-T.FC.
The Final…
The curtain name of this motion is staged inside a spherical case much like the one housing the Chronomètre FB 2RE. Nonetheless measuring a formidable 44mm throughout with a thickness of 14.30mm, the brand new hull will likely be obtainable in moral 18k rose or white gold. Collectors of the ultimate 38 items can select the case materials, the color and ending of the dial and the leather-based strap. Clearly, the round-shaped case can’t be altered.
Whereas some may miss the angular character of earlier FB 1s, others may have a good time this spherical model as an easier-to-wear possibility – I actually adhere to the latter. As they are saying, you win some and lose some, and as an alternative of the 4 portholes featured on the octagonal case, the spherical case has solely been fitted with one on the left case flank. Nonetheless, take coronary heart as a result of there are actually extra sapphire viewing panes on the reverse aspect of the watch, however we’ll get to that later. With the brand new case form, the lugs are actually ostensibly riveted to the spherical case center and seem extra prominently than within the octagonal case that engulfed them.
One other characteristic you may need observed is the incorporation of flat crown guards – additionally bolted – across the giant (9mm) 18k gold crown with a brand new black ceramic medallion in its centre. Seventy turns of the crown absolutely arm the mainspring, however to guard the motion from over-winding, the crown is supplied with a decoupling security machine. If the strain exceeds permitted parameters, the dynamometric spring hidden contained in the crown disengages, stopping the crown from driving the winding pinion.
Regulator Dial
As you may see, the format of the dial is similar to the FB 1 and echoes that of historic marine chronometers with its off-centred hour and minutes sub-dial at midday and its extra-long central seconds hand sweeping majestically – no stuttering – over the dial to alight on the peripheral railway observe with numerals at 5-second intervals separated by a line. The recessed energy reserve indicator remains to be at 9 o’clock, and the elongated rectangular aperture on the dial, stretching from the bottom of the hour and minutes sub-dial to the marker at 6 o’clock, reveals the 1-minute, slow-beating tourbillon surmounted by the only co-axial fourth wheel driving the central seconds hand; that means that the seconds hand is drivedn straight by the tourbillon, not by a gear prepare. The recessed energy reserve indicator is engraved on the mainplate of the motion and graphically indicated by considerably pointless ‘Haut’ and ‘Bas’ labels in the identical font because the model identify, manufacture location and chronometry printings on the dial.
Clearly, relying on the dial color chosen, the furnishings on the dial range. Though it may be customised, the three references are available in white gold with a blue CVD dial and white gold fingers, in pink gold with a black rhodium dial and pink gold fingers, and in pink gold with a gray ruthenium dial and blue CVD fingers. On all editions, the sub-dial and seconds observe are silver-toned with black varnished inscriptions.
Mechanical vistas
The reverse of the watch additionally has a shock in retailer for collectors and now options three sapphire bridges changing the German silver bridges, additionally featured on the Chronomètre FB 1.4-3. The incorporation of hand-bevelled clear bridges will increase the viewing pleasure no finish and makes up for the absence (only one) of portholes on the case flanks. With 1,134 parts, the manual-winding, pillar-based, chronometer-certified building of the motion is symmetrical, revealing the big fusée-and-chain transmission and the tourbillon. With its low-frequency reversed tourbillon with direct-dive seconds and constant-force regulation through a suspended fusée-and-chain transmission system, the motion is a showcase of horological bravado with finishings to match.
going, going, gone
The ultimate act of the Chronomètre FB 2T presents spectacular horological content material and does justice to the heavyweight identify behind the model. Its spherical case form makes it extra wearable, and the customisation choices imply that 38 fortunate collectors can have a novel time capsule on their wrists. Whereas the watch references sure facets of Ferdinand Berthoud’s marine clocks, the uncovered tourbillon and fourth wheel on the dial and the specific view of the mechanics on the caseback provide will fulfill modern collectors.
As you may think about, the worth relies upon upon the customisation choices however don’t anticipate to pay lower than CHF 255,000. For extra data, please seek the advice of ferdinandberthoud.ch.
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